Village mayors, County Councilors and over a dozen journalists were on hand on June 18th to hear County Council VP Mihai Pascu announce a new public-private partnership designed to increase the number of poor children attending gradinita in Brasov, Dambovita and Dolj counties. A grant of €244,000 to Asociatia OvidiuRo from the EEA Grants 2009-2014 through the Romanian NGO Fund will help 1000 children living in extreme poverty to attend gradinita daily this coming school year.

OvidiuRo's long-term goal is to ensure that all impoverished children in Romania start their education by the age of three.

Thanks to the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement between Iceland, Liechtenstein & Norway, this project brings that goal one step closer.

Mayors and school directors in Brasov, Dambovita & Dolj counties who want to get every impoverished child in their community in gradinita should apply by July 11 to OvidiuRo. Details here: http://www.ovid.ro/en/fcg/concurs-judetean/. After the County Council's announcement, the press visited the village of Budila where OvidiuRo and Raiffeisen Bank currently support 111 children in Fiecare Copil in Gradinita.

Andreea Esca reported on the efforts of poor parents to bring their kids to gradinita every day.

“They are our future! But if we don’t pay attention

to them and make sure they get an education the problems will become worse and worse”. Ariana Bucur, Chief School Inspector Brasov

Realitatea TV highlighted the exceptional results in Budila. “This program has been a breath of fresh air. In 2012 there were no more than 50 kids attending gradinita. Now we have over 200”. Budila Mayor, Irimia Marsavela

“… A very ambitious project which aims to bring every child to gradinita. By 2020 the objective is to eradicate the number of children that do not know of the world that education can bring them. Recent research shows that early education is the most efficient intervention to reduce school dropouts and unemployment. The project promoters are optimistic and believe that team work at the

local and county level will bring concrete results. … The local authorities contribute money for the poor children’s clothes and shoes. The project is implemented in partnership with the County Councils and County School Inspectorates”.

Sorin Focsa, Journalist Mix Tv

Petruta Stefan completed only 4 grades. She wants “a better life for my children so they will be able to support themselves, not be day-workers like us”. “The number and frequency of children attending has doubled; moreover, we got a new space for the gradinita”.

Simona Cristea, Budila program coordinator

Fiecare Copil in Gradinita gives poor parents who send their kids to gradinita every day monthly food coupons in the amount of 50 lei. “It helps a lot to get those 50 lei. Just yesterday we received the coupons and I bought beans, cabbage and bread. From time to time I do some cleaning work in Brasov, but it’s not regular. If I am needed, I go, if I am not, I don’t”. Aurica Marias, mother

The mayor of Budila called on the county authorities to support construction of additional gradinita classrooms because the existing space is no longer sufficient. 300 children in Brasov are benefiting from Fiecare Copil in Gradinita, but another 1000 children need similar help.

“Unda de Soc” - Dan Ghita, RadioTeleviziunea Transilvania, interviewed Maria Gheorghiu, OvidiuRo cofounder and Nicoleta Stelea, Deputy

Director Brasov County Council, about the FCG expansion. “This socio-educational intervention has increased the enrollment, and most importantly, the daily attendance ... We try to bring the children to gradinita starting from 3 years old, so that this behavior becomes natural for both parent and child”. Maria Gheorghiu “There are situations when the families are embarrassed to bring their kids to gradinita because they don’t have clothes or shoes. Here is when the support of local or county authorities comes in”. Nicoleta Stelea

“I think it’s a beautiful thing to help other people. It would be great if each of us would donate a little bit of our time. I helped OvidiuRo by

collecting 2% forms”. Daniela Tinica, Raiffeisen Bank volunteer

“I went to the community with the social workers and now we are trying to collect direct payments from people who want to donate to OvidiuRo a certain

amount each month”. Simona Balan, Raiffeisen Bank volunteer

Online (17)

Stiri Yahoo Romania Observator.ro Corona Press Stireazilei.info

Stirile Direct.ro Vocea Romilor Actualitati.net RSSPress.info

News-line.ro Press-report.ro Ziarelive.ro Critix.ro

Backbook.ro Sursadestiri.ro ilovebrasov.ro www.1235.ro

TechRadar.ro

TV (12) Pro TV Antena 1 Realitatea TV (2) Digi 24 TV (3)

Mix TV Nova TV RTT TVS (2)

Print (2) Monitorul Expres Buna ziua, Brasov

Radio (2) Radio Romania Regional Radio Intact

Talk show (1) RTT (Unda de Soc)

The content of this material does not necessary represent the official position of the EEA grants 2009-2014. The entire responsibility for the accuracy and

consistency of the information belongs to Asociatia OvidiuRo. For official information about the EEA and Norway grants access www.eeagrants.org